The Saint-Cyriaque Abbey Church, winner of the 2023 Pilgrim Ensemble Prize for Heritage

The Saint-Cyriaque Abbey Church, winner of the 2023 Pilgrim Ensemble Prize for Heritage

The Saint-Cyriaque Abbey Church, a case of absolute emergency

Of course, this majestic pink and yellow sandstone abbey church had assets to seduce the GPPP jury and its partner, the Heritage Foundation. But it is above all the urgency of the necessary work which brought together the votes for this Pilgrim Prize Together for Heritage: Saint-Cyriaque, today a listed parish church, “suffers from rising damp and its roof needs to be redone”, explains Laurence Hommel, deputy mayor in charge of heritage in the town of Altorf, an Alsatian town of 1,500 inhabitants. .

The municipality had established, from 2021, an ambitious restoration plan. The ace! In July 2022, a piece of the vault fell into the nave, forcing the councilor to close the building and stop the bells in order to prevent their vibrations from widening the cracks… “We are in discussion with the architects and the regional directorate of cultural affairs to consolidate the vaults as quickly as possible”, specifies the deputy.

This unexpected closure is indeed experienced as a catastrophe. The Romanesque nave and the 18th century choir of this elegant building – which also houses the relics of Saint Cyriacus, a Roman martyr – were admired by tourists. Several altarpieces and an incredible baroque preaching pulpit caused surprise and contrasted with the sobriety of the walls. As for the villagers, they can’t wait to hear their bells marking the hours again! This price should help the town hall to reopen its doors at the end of 2024.

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